Michelle Beadle Speaks Out After Losing SiriusXM Slot to Stephen A. Smith

Michelle Beadle, a former ESPN personality and seasoned sports broadcaster, has broken her silence following the unexpected announcement that her afternoon show on SiriusXM will be replaced by a new program hosted by none other than Stephen A. Smith.

The shakeup, set to take effect in September, blindsided Beadle and her co-host Cody Decker, who claimed they were given little to no warning before the change was made public.

“We were told hours before it broke, and even then, we weren’t given the courtesy of knowing who was replacing us,” Beadle said Wednesday on-air during her show “Beadle & Decker.” “I had to find out from an article in The Hollywood Reporter.”

The news marks yet another chapter in the long-running tension between Beadle and Smith, whose relationship reportedly soured following Smith’s controversial remarks in 2014 related to the Ray Rice domestic violence case—remarks Beadle publicly criticized at the time.

In an interview with Front Office Sports, Beadle did not hold back:

“I don’t respect him. I don’t respect his work. He doesn’t like me. That’s fine.”

Stephen A. Smith, who will begin his SiriusXM show on September 2, responded to Beadle’s remarks during an appearance on VSiN Live.

“I wasn’t aware she wasn’t told,” Smith said. “That’s on SiriusXM. I was just following instructions. I had no part in how they handled it with her.”

The move has sparked debate not just about professional courtesy but also about how major media companies handle programming transitions and personnel changes. Beadle, who has been in the industry for over two decades, expressed frustration not with Smith’s hiring per se, but with what she described as a lack of transparency and respect from SiriusXM’s management.

Smith, one of the most prominent voices in sports media today, has expanded his reach significantly since re-signing with ESPN in 2023. His new role at SiriusXM is expected to further solidify his dominance across platforms.

But for Beadle and her supporters, the issue isn’t about ratings or popularity. It’s about respect.

“After 20 years in this business, I thought we’d earned at least a phone call,” she said.

As the industry continues to evolve and platforms compete for talent and attention, moments like these reveal just how personal the business of sports media can be.